In the absence of a full Ethiopian U20 contingent after visa issues, the U20 women's squad led the way for the Japanese team at this year's World Cross Country Championships with a team bronze medal. Yui Onotora had the best individual Japanese placing across any of the day's races at 14th to lead Japan's U20 women, with scoring members Wakana Fukuyama, Mona Utsunomiya and Mei Hosomi all making the top 30. But with Ethiopian women going 1-2-5 they would surely have knocked Japan out of the medals if they'd been able to field a full team.
Led by Haruki Niizuma in 15th, the U20 men had the next-best Japanese team placing at 6th, although they also benefitted by one place from the lack of a full Ethiopian team. Junsei Murakami was the only other Japanese runner in the race to make top 30, finishing 21st.
The mixed relay team of Takumi Shiobara, Yuzu Nishide, Kiyoto Ono and Momoa Yamada was 10th out of 15, while the senior men took 12th led by Ryuto Igawa in 51st. Only 3 Japanese women ran in the senior women's race, not enough to score in team results, with Wakana Itsuki the top placer at 48th.
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
Tallahassee, U.S.A., 10 Jan. 2026
Mixed Relay
1. Australia - 22:23
2. France - 22:26
3. Ethiopia - 22:34
-----
10. Japan - 24:08
U20 Women
1. Marta Alemayo (Ethiopia) - 18:52
2. Wosane Asefa (Ethiopia) - 19:18
3. Charity Cherop (Uganda) - 19:19
-----
14. Yui Onotora (Japan) - 20:25
22. Wakana Fukuyama (Japan) - 20:56
25. Mona Utsunomiya (Japan) - 21:03
26. Mei Hosomi (Japan) - 21:04
29. Michi Kawanishi (Japan) - 21:18
31. Airi Mashiba (Japan) - 21:20
Team
1. Uganda - 29
2. Kenya - 29
3. Japan - 87
U20 Men
1. Frankline Kibet (Kenya) - 23:18
2. Emmanuel Kiprono (Kenya) - 23:20
3. Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (Kenya) - 23:28
-----
15. Haruki Niizuma (Japan) - 24:31
21. Junsei Murakami (Japan) - 25:17
31. Ojiro Honda (Japan) - 25:52
46. Kota Tamura (Japan) - 26:26
DNF - Rikuto Ikeya (Japan)
DNF - Kain Inagaki (Japan)
Team
1. Kenya - 10
2. Uganda - 31
3. U.S.A. - 75
-----
6. Japan - 113
Senior Women
1. Agnes Jebet Ngetich (Kenya) - 31:28
2. Joy Cheptoyek (Uganda) - 32:10
3. Senayet Getachew (Ethiopia) - 32:13
-----
48. Wakana Itsuki (Japan) - 35:57
53. Momoka Kawaguchi (Japan) - 36:21
60. Sora Shinozakura (Japan) - 37:10
Team
1. Ethiopia - 19
2. Kenya - 36
3. Uganda - 37
Senior Men
1. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) - 28:18
2. Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) - 28:36
3. Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (Kenya) - 28:45
-----
51. Ryuto Igawa (Japan) - 31:13
52. Yuma Shimoo (Japan) - 31:14
62. Hiroto Yoshioka (Japan) - 31:39
77. Daiki Ozawa (Japan) - 32:44
Team
1. Ethiopia - 30
2. Kenya - 34
3. Uganda - 39
-----
12. Japan - 242
© 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
Comments